The Imperial Remnant And The Jedi
by Levi95
Summary: Third series. Its been 7 years since TK-2208 left his Jedi captor, Alena Varne and much has changed. On the war torn Imperial Remnant world of Jov'ea IV they meet once more as combatants on the opposite sides. Read and Review. Plox :(


Years go by and much has happened. With the signing of the Concordance, the reign of the Galactic Empire and its grip over an entire galaxy has come to an end. The rebels had won.

'Then why the hell are they still dropping bombs on us!?' cries Jiyad within the confines of his mind as X-Wings fly overhead, dropping their deadly payload onto a target several meters away; An anti-air rocket emplacement. The explosion consumes the crew in a spectacular fashion and flings the Stormtrooper against the tattered wooden planks of his trench line.

"Up, get up!" his comrade, GL-7878 hoists him up before resuming to his post, snapping off shots from his E-11. Dizzy from the X-Wing's sortie TK-2208 rejoins his company back into the firefight. His HUD tags a woman in olive green drabs wildly gesturing to more olive garbed New Republic troopers to advance.

A leader.

The E-11 in his hands mark her position at 75 meters. He nails her twice in the chest causing her to scream and drop backwards into the crater she'd emerged from, all the while grinning like a madman. He had no sympathy anymore for these scum. They've taken his humanity from him. All those nights comforting weeping comrades wanting to go home, wrestling with friends who'd tried to escape the battlefield by attempting to take their own lives with their own guns, being forced to tie deserters down and shooting them dead in a firing squad, telling dying troopers on the field they're going to be okay when they're not. He's eager to cause some pain of his own.

The fighting had drawn into its 5th day, Command had its resources stretched thin rotating battalions of exhausted Stormtroopers in and out of combat zones. Another two more days and Jiyad's defensive line would be taken over by a fresh battalion. He was looking forward to that, some RnR back in the FOB. Provided he survives this assault

"Eyes up, boys! We've got rebel reinforcements!" cries a trooper with a marksman blaster configuration.

On the contrary the enemy officially went by the New Republic but old habits die hard as they say, with many diehard Imperial remants refusing to recognize the New Republic's legitimacy hence 'rebels' in the eyes of the Imperial remnants.

Fething hell these guys just won't quit!

Loading a fresh gas cartridge in, TK-2208 steels himself for a sith-show.

"X-Wings making another pass!" calls an unknown trooper out over the comlink. Cursing under breath, TK-2208 swivels his head and sure enough were a flight of those damned fast movers closing in, probably out for another bombing run.

But this time, the Imperials were ready.

Almost on cue a dozen rockets and AA turbo laser turrets open up on the crafts, most of them unfortunately missing their mark and only a couple of the X-Wings were transformed into crashing, burning wrecks. The rest got off with slight burns on their paintjobs, their shields taking the brunt of the damages.

The surviving X-Wings raked a line of blaster fire within the Imperial ranks. Men howled in agony as they died, entry wounds the size of a man's fist visible on their armor, plastoid fusing with flesh.

TK-2208 grit his teeth as GL-7878's slack body rests against his shoulders. The poor bastard was dead, the X-Wings got him.

GL-7878 was a native of this world. Where the Imperial remnants called it Jov'ea IV, the dead trooper slumped against Jiyad called it home. This was the world he grew up in, where he left in service to the Empire. For GL-7878, this was his crusade to defend his home from rebel invaders and he gave his life for it. The least Jiyad could do to honor '7878 was try his best to hold the enemy at least until he was relieved of his post.

One daring Stormtrooper from Cresh company unlatched his DLT 19 from the tripod and attempted to mow down the fast movers. Fellow troopers began cheering him on as he valiantly, some might say foolishly, sprayed long burts with the '19. Against all odds, that crazy trooper managed to break past their shields and waste 3 of them before the X-Wings decided to pull back. They'll be back but for now the Imperials had broken the rebs' air superiority.

'Magnificent sunnava bantha, bet there'll be a medal waiting for him after this.' smiles the Jiyad at the sight of the X-Wings soaring back to base.

The rebs meanwhile were in a state of disarray, clearly they had been underestimating the Imperial remnants. Their recent string of major victories across the galaxy has made them complacent, lax. The so called 'liberation' force wasn't expecting to be dragged this long into the campaign, neither were they ready for the well entrenched Imperial defenders. Yes they'd made significant gains over the last few days but the Imperials held most of the major population centres and they still had a couple of missile sites operational. That and the population preferred Imperial rule. To re-align themselves with self-serving beauracrats once more was madness. They never cared for the people back then, what makes them think these same politicians would care for them now? Maybe as a gesture of goodwill a few reforms here and there but then they'll forget them after a year or so. At least the Empire took great interest in their social welfare and development. Already loyalist militia were clashing with New Republic troopers in the streets. And the bodies on both sides are piling.

Rough hands clasp on TK-2208's shoulder plate, swerving him around to meet a pair of hardened grey eyes belonging to Captain Seeng.

"Trooper, get me 5-1 Aurek. Now!"

"Yessir!" snaps 2208 as he dials the channel in on the signal set strapped to his back. Captain Seeng was a rare breed among the officer corps, he openly fraternised with the men, fought for their welfare and led his men into firefights with both courage and zeal. In the eyes of the men of the 802nd Stormtrooper Battalion, he was a living legend.

"5-1 Aurek, 5-1 Aurek this is 1-8, fire mission over!"

Static fill the channel "C'mon, cmon!" he whimpers as the firefight began intensifying, not only were the rebs swarming the Imperial defenders with their new influx of light infantry but they'd brought several assault walkers too. They'll bus through Imperial lines if the arty doesn't halt their advance. Already he could hear calls for medics as casualties on his side steadily climbed from the onslaught.

"Trooper I need that arty now!"

"5-1 Aurek, 5-1 Aurek this 1-8, priority fire mission over! We need that arty support or defensive line Besh-2 will collapse, over!"

Still nothing. Firefek!

Turning to the frowning officer surveying the enemy formation, Jiyad relays the bad news. "Sir, I can't get the goddamn arty on the horn, what do we-"

"-Aurek to 1-8 we hear you, stay calm and send grid for fire over," drawls the calm and calculated voice of the artillery signaller.

'Yeah of course you're calm, you're hundreds of klicks safely tucked away with your kriffing canons.'

"Captain Seeng, I got 5-1 Aurek on the line. Coordinates?"

Wiping out bits of dirt away from the holo device in his hands, the officer begins yammering off a string of numbers of which Jiyad began relaying to the arty crew.

"5-1 Aurek, roger. Beginning bombardment, out."

Clicking open his comlink, Jiyad cries out. "Besh-2, heads down! Danger close incoming!"

Troopers and officers alike began hunkering down amid rockets and blaster fire being flung back and forth. A sharp whistling from above signified the ion rounds crashing from above.

The Imperial defenders watched in awe as their artillery fire literally tore the New Republic forces apart. Formations of enemy troopers were simply erased from existence, walkers stumbled and crashed to the ground from the heavy guns. Troopers whooped over the comlinks watching the enemy's advance forcefully halted. One could hear their cries of pain and fear as death rained from above.

Jiyad found it deeply satisfying. 'Burn you bastards.'

"Besh Company, open fire!"

"Give it to em, boys!"

As one the Stormtroopers popped out of cover and began firing once more, scorching dozens within their first volley. TK-2208 himself got quite a decent number of kills, savoring the look on their terrified faces before snuffing out their lives.

"Mother frakkers, every last one of em," he snarls as he puts a blaster bolt through a rebel with a bandana wrapped around his head. Just when he'd thought the line would hold for one more day, the coms lit up with panicked hollering. "Jedi! They've brought Jedi with them!"

"Maker save us,"

TK-2208 felt a chill go down his spine. He's seen first hand how skilled they were in the art of combat with their lightsabers. A single Jedi could easily turn the tides of this battle into their favor. As though reading his mind, Captain Seeng cries out towards the Signal Trooper. "TK-2208! Tell those canon heads to intensify their firepower. I want the bloody sky to fall on them! Now!"

Doing as he was told, the arty bombardment grew heavier only this time something strange happened. The rounds were falling yes, but they were exploding several meters above the rebels, leaving their surviving forces unharmed. Even blaster fire was outright stopped. It was almost like a damn force field had surrounded them!

"Karking hell, its the Jedi! Sir! I bet-"

"I know, damn you." snarls the officer as he surveys the advancing enemy.

"Sir, what do we do?" TK-2208's question was on the minds of everyone huddling within the trenches. Every trooper nearby had their eyes fixed upon the grizzled officer.

"We have no choice. We'll have to do this the old fashioned way." His statement brought more questions then answers. What does that mean? A sinking feeling crept up within Jiyad's belly. He had a hunch of what might happen upon seeing the officer's steely gaze towards the advancing oppfor formations, ion artillery rounds detonating harmlessly above the invisible force field which surrounded them. The bastard was gonna charge the New Republics head on. Adjusting his peaked cap, Captain Seeng clicks opens his comlink and raises his voice a few octaves higher.

"Men of 802nd Battalion. It has been a great honour to serve alongside you. To some of you here, this is your home," TK-2208 steals a glance at GL-7878's body lying a few feet away from him. "To others, this is simply your mission. Be that as it may, we have been chosen to uphold this world that it remains in Imperial glory lest the rebels come and make mischief upon the good citizens here once more. The Concordance is a joke, a parody that no comedy in the galaxy can ever hope to surpass. We are this world's fine line between civilisation and disorder. I ask upon you one last time, not as your Officer Commanding but as your brother in arms. Will you fight alongside me, one last time?"

One trooper rips his bucket helmet off, revealing graying hair and weary ocean blue eyes. "We are with you sir! Victory or death!" he yells and beats his chest in Imperial salute. Such display was unbecomming of a Stormtrooper but nobody cared. They were dead men walking, they were tired and they've had enough. The men too as one beat their chest with their fists.

"Thank you, all of you," a serene smile on Captain Seeng's face. "My last request is that you all remove your helmets," The men stole glances with one another at such a command. Others cock their heads sideways in confusion. Has he gone mad? Jiyad thought so too but shrugs and out pops the bucket, the others following suit, unsealing their helmets and tossing it aside. "I wish to see the faces of those who will be fighting alongside me. Know this, I am not asking you to fight, I am commanding you to die! And in that action, other commanders and troopers will have taken our place."

The rebels were close now. You could hear them cheering as the artillery barrage falls short against the barrier erected by their Jedi masters. Jiyad grips his E-11. Today truly was the day he die, as morbid as that sounded he felt a sense of calmness washing over him. Like, everything's gonna be okay. One last rodeo, for the Empire.

"Gentlemen, and ladies," he spots a couple of women amongst the men in plastoid armor. "What we do here today, echoes in eternity." calmly stepping over the trench line, Captain Seeng bellows one last time. "Battalion! For the Empire! Death before dishonor! Charge!"

Hundreds of helmetless Stormtroopers left the safety of their trenches and ran towards rebel lines screaming bloody murder at the top of their lungs. For Jiyad it felt exhilirating, the rush of combat, the adrenaline, the pent up anger being released to finally lash out. Stormtroopers brawled, punched, kicked, stabbed, spat, kneed, elbowed, bludgeoned and shot their way through their New Republic counterparts. Military discipline fell sideways as the Stormtroopers crashed against the enemy lines like a roaring tidal wave. Some of them climbed up Republic Walkers and began savagely bashing the crews to death. For a moment, it seemed as though the Imperial defenders would win this fight. That is, until the Jedi stepped into the fray.

Jiyad was in the midst of bludgeoning a rebel trooper with his E-11 when a loud hissing sound whizzed past him followed with sharp cries of pain. Turning around he saw a line of Stormtroopers along with Captain Seeng falling dead as a blur of blue flash past. It was in fact a lightsaber, the Jedi's iconic weapon. He watches in awe as the blade twirls and spins, slicing through ranks of his comrades before returning to the owner. A hooded figure in tight fitting robes walk calmly towards them, the curves on the hips suggest the Jedi's gender as a woman. She stood alone as bloody murder took place all around her, the lightsaber humming gently in her gloved hands, long wisps of brunette hair flowing out of her hood.

Twirling the lightsaber in her hand, she slowly trudges through the grassy plains of death towards the Imperial Stormroopers.

Not wasting anytime, Jiyad roars and slams on the trigger, blaster going full automatic. She simply danced with the incoming ion bolts, twirling and deflecting the shots back at him or the other nearby Stormtroopers, killing a couple of them.

Oops.

TK-2208 dodges a deflected blaster shot and continues strafing whilst shooting at her.

"Need some help here!" he calls out to the nearby Imperial defenders. Almost on cue nearly a dozen Stormtroopers came in a circle, war cries on their lips and murder in their eyes. Not being able to get a clear shot, TK-2208 watches in amazement from a distance as she simply waits for them to get close before spinning gracefully and delivering a single slash. They stop dead in their tracks, bodies twisted in unnatural angles before crumpling as one in a dead heap.

"Holy shit," he gapes. Clear to fire once more, he snaps a bolt towards her, she soars high into the air, transitioning into a backflip, the blaster shot hitting a fellow trooper who was behind her square in the chest.

"Stang!" he curses. That's 3 friendlies he's accidentally committed fratricide on. That bitch will pay with her life!

An officer with a squad of troopers in tow came to engage the Jedi. She was the platoon commander of Platoon 7, Lieutenant Veda if memories serve.

"Kill the jedi!" She cries and they open fire. Deflecting two blaster shots back to their owners, Jiyad watches in horror as the Jedi closed the distance in the blink of an eye and kills Veda in a rather elegant fashion. She starts by slicing the blaster in Veda's hand in half first.

"Wh-wha?" stutters Veda as she inspects her damaged weapon, only the trigger guard intact. Not missing a beat, the Jedi performed a series of slashes onto the hapless officer, her body convulsing with each slash wrought unto her before neatly falling apart into 3 unequal pieces. Next to die were her troopers in equally gory fashion. One trooper who had his legs taken by the lightsaber managed to line up a shot and fired. Only to have it calmly dismissed right back at him through the forehead.

Now, Jiyad stood alone against the Jedi. The others were tied up fighting for their lives though from the looks of things, the Imperials were losing.

A loud gasping sound from behind the Jedi startles both combatants. It was a Stormtrooper, missing his right hand below the elbow, a long burnt slash mark running across his chest plate. His hair was tangled with dried leaves and caked dirt, blood poured from his lips and his eyes were a frenzy pair of pain and fury. In his good hand was a thermal detonator and it was primed.

"F..for the Empire!" The crazy bastard lunges after the Jedi. She deftly steps sideways and lops off his good hand, he hadn't had time to scream before she takes his head just above the jawline, leaving only a pathetic mass of teeth, tongue and flesh attached to the neck.

Then it happened, the thermal det began beeping.

Jiyad cried out in surprise before dropping prone. With any luck that thermal det will blow her up. Peeking from his cover, he gnashes his teeth as the explosive had stopped beeping.

'Karking blind!'

The two opponents size each other up,. His messy hair, rabid facial expressions against her calm demeanor, the hood concealing everything except a pair of gorgeous blue eyes and faint wisps of brunette hair. She held her lightsaber in one hand whilst he had the E-11.

Right, if he was going to die at least let him get a good look at his opponent.

"I'm a dead man walking." he begins slowly, she listens. "At least have the courtesy of showing me your goddamn face before we do this."

For a moment neither him nor the Jedi moved. Then slowly she removes the hood. He gasps. That face! Those eyes! He remembers, all those years ago.

Akan Facility. The intruder. The battle. TK-2208 comforting the young padawan within the confines of her ship as the thunderstorm rages outside. Him being forced to leave her behind. He knew her!

He lowers the blaster, slightly. "A..Alena?" his opponent freezes, eyes widening in surprise. "Is that...is that really you?"

How'd he know her name? Have they met before?

Yes of course its her. She's all grown up, taller than before, the same button nose, her hips had grown wider. Her muscles were more defined and she no longer had those adorable baby fats on her face. She's changed, hardened up over the years. It wasn't just her though. The galactic civil war had done that to both of them.

"How do you know my name?" she swallows. "Answer me!

"You don't remember?" he frowns. Lets try something here. Lets see. "Bouma shite!"

She gasps, yes! She remembers!

"Teekay?"

Jiyad smiles weakly at that. "Hi," was all he could manage. The girl he met 7 years ago had grown into a strong and beautiful woman.

She frowns at that. This can't be happening.

"I-"

"Yeah, I'm kinda at a loss for words too,"

"You left me that night."

"I had no choice, I wasn't gonna be your prisoner. Wouldn't you have done the same if the situation was reversed?" She falls silent, the battle was drawing to a close now, the Imperial lines had broken and New Republic fighters were nipping at the retreating defenders' heels.

"So, big force field huh?" he gestures around. "Where'd you learn how to do that?"

"My master,"

"Oh," he was the only Stormtrooper left in the fight. Rebel troopers seemed to ignore him which leads him to believe Alena was somehow shielding him from their vision. "So what happens now?"

"You surrender, same promises as last time. This world will be liberated in a matter of time and the people will be-"

"What if I told you I have no intentions of surrendering? That I'm gonna keep on fighting? What if I told you the people here preferred Imperial rule?"

They grew silent at that. "Then I'll be forced to kill you. I'm confident we can give a better deal to the Joveans than what your warlords could provide."

Chuckling at her iron resolve, TK-2208 calmly steps forward towards her. Not afraid of the lightsaber in her hands.

"Alena, the people of this world chose Imperial rule not because we cared but because we made them feel they mattered. The Republic never would have acknowledged their existence were it not for the yearly taxes coming from this system. Your new government would run things the same way it was before the New Order."

"But things are different now. We're changing our policies to set things right. Put down your blaster, Teekay. Please,"

He wanted to. Maker he did, he didn't want to fight Alena...he liked her back then and those feelings were still there but then he thought of GL-7878.

"I can't." he murmurs softly. "See those troopers you killed there?"

She turns towards the dismembered pile and nods grimly towards them. It jars her sometimes how easy it has become for her to kill someone without a second thought.

"Some of them were born here. You're asking me to surrender. You're asking me to spit on their sacrifice defending their homeworld, to turn my back on the Empire. I can't do that, Alena."

"Teekay, please! Listen to reason. The Empire is no more. Your leaders are nothing more than power hungry warlords living in denial. There's nothing for you here but pain and death." Her voice became desperate.

"I don't want to kill you," she whimpers. "Please, surrender." Alena's grip around her lightsaber tightens.

"I can't." he sighs and brings the blaster up in a threatening stance.

"You've made your choice. I...respect that but I will do what I must."

He makes the first move, rapidly snapping off shots while strafing her sideways. She dashes forward, lightsaber twirling and spinning, deflecting incoming blaster fire.

She was gaining distance, but the Stormtrooper was just as determined to put her down.

Click, click! Not again!

Tossing aside the spent blaster, he unsheathes the vibro blade in his pouch. They lunge forward for the kill.

Alena ducks an upper slash from the vibro blade before grabbing the trooper's knife arm, swiftly twisting it and kicking upwards, breaking the elbow. His agonized screams tear at her heartstrings but she couldn't stop, not when he's made his choice. Closing her eyes and whispering an apology, she slashes low, below the chest plate right on through the abdominal area.

Jiyad stumbles forward, the blistering, burning sting of Alena's saber overwhelming his senses. No doubt his guts would be tumbling out if not for the plasma blade cauterising the wound immediately upon impact. His knees gave way, black spots pop up in his vision. The pain was intense, he couldn't do much aside from rolling on the grass patch moaning softly in pain.

Alena watches with sadness at Teekay's suffering. She strides forward, lightsaber poised to end his suffering but somehow, she couldn't. Memories of the past washing over her from their playful banter in the deep dark forest to him comforting her when she had a nightmare.

Jiyad gasps and moans in pain, eyes trying to focus onto Alena's conflicted face. "Do it, krffing do it!" he gnashes his teeth. Her face nods solemnly and prepared to deliver to the killing blow.

But fate has other things in mind.

The forgotten thermal det from before began beeping again once more.

"What the-"

Alena turns and was promptly greeted by an ear splitting crack and a flash before being flung several feet behind the wounded Stormtrooper.

"Noo!" he roars, fury and pain intermingling. He slowly, painfully crawls towards her broken form, robes burnt and torn from the blast. He noticed a large group of rebel fighters had gathered but he didn't care. "Get a medic!" he yells. Nobody moves. "For frak's sakes she's dying get a medic you scumbags!" That got them moving.

Slowly cradling Alena's head, he feels for a pulse on her neck.

There, its faint but its there.

"You'll be okay Alena, stay with me," he winces, the wound on his gut was really starting to hurt."You'll be okay,"

It wasn't long before he too passed out into unconsciousness.

Alena felt that she was floating. She felt free, light. She felt happy. She flew through an endless stream of what appears to be her memories. Smiling at each moment in her life from the first time she hefted a boulder with her mind to the times she spent with a practise saber.

Hang on, what's that?

She floats towards what appears to be a large mattress with fluffy pillows and Jiyad of all people lying on it. He sits up and waves her over with a cheeky smile. He wore that black undersuit Stormtroopers wore beneath their armor. She sits on the mattress beside him.

"Teekay?"

"The one and only, babe."

"Um, what are you doing in my memories?"

"I've always been here, waiting for you." he giggles.

Oookayyy...

"Come 'ere," he coos and she does, resting her head against his shoulders.

He gently cradles her head. "I could stay here all day," she murmurs with a gentle sigh.

"Oh, me too but we can't do this Alena."

"Wha-why not?" she sits up, startled. His grin took on a chilling sinister appearance.

"Oh, Alena. I'm gay."

"Noooo!" she screams in horror as everything began dissolving around her.

She shoots straight up, gasping for air. She was in a room and everything was white. White beds, white sheets, white drawers. The air tasted stale and everything else felt sterile. She realizes she was in a medical ward. Tubes and wires snaked from her body and into the a machine on a stand, beeping away merrily.

A loud snoring to her right draws her attention. He had his head down and his hands and feet were shackled. He wore that jumpsuit Republic POWs wore. She realizes the snoring form was none other than her Teekay.

"...mfiyfh.." he mumbles before letting out another snore causing her to giggle in amusement but then she remembers that wierd dream she had and ended up frowning.

Thwack! She uses her two fingers to smack his forehead, as her master used to whenever she goofed off during training.

Poor guy nearly fell off his chair. "Muh-Muh...Mom I-I...oh,"

She howls with laughter watching him turn red from embarrassment before clearing his throat and wiping some drool off.

"Hi, idiot."

He responds with a rude gesture before she smacks him once more on the forehead. "Agh! That hurts what the hell!"

"So."

"So?"

"How long have you been here?"

"Ever since they transferred you here from the bacta tanks. Eh, 3 days?"

"That long?"

"Yeah," he nods whilst scratching his belly. "You were in 6 days actually, 3 in the tanks, 3 in this ward. I hate bacta, that cut you gave me won't stop itching now."

She smiles softly at that. She was thankful her stormie survived.

Oh my, her stormie where'd that thought come from?

"I'm glad to see you're okay, Jiyad."

"Me too," he returns her smile with his own. "You were a mess when the thermal det went off. I...almost thought you weren't gonna make it past the first night,"

"Mmf, I won't go down that easy." she scoffs. "So what happened when I was out?"

"Just the boring post-admin stuff. They cuffed me up and stuffed us both in bacta tanks. I got out early, spent some nights in a cell. Couldn't sleep though, kept thinking about you."

"Aww, stormie," she giggles. "You do care."

"Shaddap," he rolls his eyes before breaking out into laughter as well. There was the adorable girl he met all those years back.

"Anyways, I managed to convince your commanders to see you. I told them I'll behave so long as they let me check up on you now and then so here we are,"

They sat in uncomfortable silence for the next few moments.

"You snore."

"You should be thanking my snoring, it woke you up,"

"You can wake the dead with that snoring,"

He blows a raspberry at her. The first he's done in 7 years. She barks in laughter, remembering those years back and responds with a raspberry of her own in kind.

Maker he felt like a kid again but he can't help being a one with Alena. She brought out the inner kid in him.

"So did we win?" She knew that was a touchy topic, Teekay's facial expression says it all. Still, she has to know of the outcome for this world.

"By we meaning your New Republic then no. Not really. After you broke through our defensive lines, my side called for a truce so there's a ceasefire going on. Next week your leaders and mine are gonna be having a summit in the Capital to decide if things can be resolved peacefully."

"I hope so, I'm tired of fighting."

"I'm not so sure," he looks down at his shackled feet. "There's a lot of tension going on here. The locals want Imperial rule but unfortunately your people want it to be New Republic and they're using the Concordance to back them up, with Jovea technically part of the inner core. That and there's alot of bad blood going on between my guys and yours."

"You gotta have hope."

"Hope? You can't unfrak a politically unstable situation based on hope alone," he muses earning her frown. "You need mutual cooperation and lots of compromise from both sides. And..I don't see it happening from either side anytime soon,"

"Teekay, in all my years, I've seen time and again that even in the darkest moments when all seems lost there exists a tiny spark of hope, a sliver of the light."

"I dunno, Alena. War's made a cynic out of me. Guess I've had my hopes dashed too many times to count. I...I want to believe things will work out for the better for both sides but I can just as easy see us on different sides of the battlefield again."

She squeezes his hand gently. He stands up and sits on the side of the bed with her. Gently stroking her hair, the cuffs on his hands jingling as he does it. "Lets not talk about this. We survived and that's what matters, yeah?"

She nods.

"Attagirl," He pats her head causing her to huff in indignance. "You hungry?"

"Ah, he finally remembers to feed me," she feints a yawn. TK-2208 rolls his eyes at that. "Yes your highness, please forgive this imbecile's incompetence. Would her majesty be interested in our chef's specialty? New Republic grade C-rations, built to last till armegeddon is upon us. Throw it against a wall and it'll break down the wall itself! Tis a must try though not for the faint of heart. A tad more flavourful than its dastardly Imperial counterpart."

Her laughter flows into the room as her stormie continues his tirade. "Madam!? Ye offend me with thy laughter. Dost thine most brrr~illiant accent offend thee?"

"Yes! Yes!" Alena howls in laughter whilst slamming her hands against the drawers, thankfully they were the only occupants in that particular ward otherwise someone would have thrown their boots at them.

"En guard! Avast ye~"

The door flung wide open and in storms the on-duty medical officer. "What in the seven hells is going on here!?"

Alena elbows Jiyad in the ribs and he does the same in turn all the while eyes fixed upon the furious gaze of the medical officer.

Seeing as both weren't going to answer he gave a short sigh and rubs his forehead.

"I'll let it slide this one time. Any more of this nonsense and I'll have you two thrown OUT of my medical centre. Is that understood?"

Both nod their heads, elbows still silently locked in bitter for war for dominance of the other's ribs.

"Alright," drawls the Corellian. "Master Jedi, I'm glad you're finally up. General Thatcher would be pleased to know you're awake." Seeing her somewhat pale expression, he asks, "Would you like some food to be brought in?"

TK-2208 shakes his head, gesturing wildly how fat she already is which was totally untrue. Alena elbows him hard in the gut causing him to bowl over in pain, much to the MO's amusement.

"Yes, I'd like some please."

"And your, um, friend?"

"I'm good, doc," he wheezes. That elbow had hit the wound right where it hurts.

"Very well, I'll have a medical orderly arrive with your food shortly. He will also be around to clear you back into service."

"I see, thanks." they both gave tight lipped smiles as the MO leaves with the doors auto closing behind him.

Jiyad broke the silence with snort, the kind a person makes when he's fighting back his laughter. Alena bites her lips, trying her damnedest not to laugh either. Eventually they broke out into giggling fits.

Left to their own devices once more, the two continued their bantering. It was wierd for them both, whatever it is they had going on.

They were total strangers, combatants on opposite sides actually yet both were very comfortable with sharing their personal space with one another. Jiyad didn't give it much thought aside from expressing joy in quite possibly finding a woman he could make a connection with while Alena suspects the force may be behind the uncanny relationship they shared but was more than happy to reciprocate with the Stormtrooper.

"I give it a 7 out of 10."

"No! How could you!" she wails. "81 Chefs serve their dishes lukewarm and force forbid, ice cold! Their pastas are not cooked on order and their desserts are micro-kriffing wave heated! They'd be lucky if I even gave them a star at all!"

"No they don't you lying schutta! I had friends working there before enlisting, their food tastes great and they prepare em fresh. 7 out of 10."

"I have no reason to lie!"

"Bouma shite, y7ou're being salty cos I dissed that maker damn recaf chain you're crazy about!"

"Recaf my ass, its coffee you buckethead! Recaf is that molten slag you jarheads chug every morning. Coffee is what us classy people drink." A smug grin on her face. Next she throws her arms up im exasperation. "My friends are from 81 chefs, hurrrrr!" she does her best imitation of Jiyad with her tongue lolling out.

"81 Chefs are trash!"

"Are not!"

"Are too!"

"Are not!"

"Are too! Three, four and five! Boosh!" she even finishes her sentence with a dab.

"What?"

"What?"

"That? Da-kriff was- nevermind. You take that back kid or else!"

"Or else what, old man?" she sticks her nose higher up, trying to look taller than the Imperial prisoner before her.

"This!" Fast as lightning he reaches out with both hands, cuffs and all and tickles her ribs. She squeals in laughter, lifting her legs to block her ribs and vainly attempting to slap her opponent's hands away.

"Get-ahahaha! Get off! Hehehe!"

"Say the words, rebel scum!"

"N-never! Hahaha!"

"Base Delta Zero! Base Delta Zero!"

"Nooo! Hehhehe!"

In the midst of their horseplay, Teekay went too far and slaps her left butt cheek with as much force as he could. "That's for calling me old!"

She gasps, a weird amalgamation of ecstasy and pain shooting up from her bum. She could feel her face turning several shades from the heat rising to her cheeks.

A second slap on the other butt cheek elicits a far erotic reaction from her, a quietly stiffled moan which went unnoticed by the Stormtrooper

"And thats for calling 81 Chefs tra- are you blushing?" She shakes her head furiously.

"You are, aren't you?" deadpans the trooper, silently enjoying her reaction. Still as adorable as ever.

Propping himself as best as he can on the bed, he leans forward and places a chaste kiss on her forehead.

They lock eyes for a moment for Alena leans forward, a seductive smile on her face which sends the trooper's heart on edge, his face red and mini-Teekay standing stiff at attention. Then before their lips could touch, Alena sends an almighty uppercut right beneath the Stormtrooper's chin.

"Frakking pervert!" she yells as he tumbles off the bed, the shackles rattling as he does so.

"Where did I go wrong?" he moans while nursing his chin. When he looks up, he saw Alena's lithe, athletic form overshadowing him.

Oh boy.

"Mercy?"

She uses the force and flings the Imperial prisoner up against the ceiling without warning and back down onto the mattress again.

Up and down.

"Stang!"

Up and down.

"Stop!"

Up and down.

"Ow! Alena Stop!"

Up and down.

"I'm sorry! Maker I'm-"

Up and down.

"No more! Please!"

Up and down.

"Alena! Alena! P-please! N-no no-no!"

Thankfully she stops. Jiyad could feel a fresh bruise forming on the back of his head.

'Crazy kath hound!'

The auto door to the ward's entrance opens and in strolls a medical orderly wheeling in some food on a tray.

He greets them both and sets the food down. In his hand was a scanner and after a few tests decides Alena was clear for active duty once more. He removes the tubes on her arms and hips before removing the tagging on her wrist. Huh, she wasn't aware of that tagging.

"Once you're finished just leave the empty utensils here, I'll be back to clear it off. You can leave once you're done, just head to the entrance, find your name on the inpatients log and sign out."

"Kay," she says almost nonchalantly, too busy tearing into her food.

"Alright, bye- What happened to the ceiling!?" The orderly had noticed the panels above Alena were broken and some of them were cracked!

Jiyad wanted to say something but an elbow strike into his ribs shut him up. "Oh that? Must have been the previous patient," she says sweetly then turns towards the Stormtrooper, a terrifying, sinister smile plastered on her hauntingly beautiful face. The trooper nods, a whimper escaping his lips.

The orderly shrugs and strode out, mumbling about needing to call in a technician and fix the ceiling. Alena went back to her food.

"Slow down Alena, my mom once told me eating like that will give you gas. And its a scientific fact women fart out deadlier gas than us men."

She flips him off.

Jiyad shakes his head, watching her eat was like watching those kid shows where the monster tore chunks out of skyscrapers before sloppily stuffing them into its mouth.

Once she was done, she let out a satisfied exhale. Jiyad chuckles and picks up the cream pie she hadn't touched.

"Open wide," he giggles, spoon in hand with a piece of the dessert on it.

"Aaaah!" At the very last second the spoon found itself making an emergency U-turn into the Stormtrooper's mouth.

"Hey!" she yells, Jiyad cackling in response and pats her head. "Just kidding, here," And he proceeds to slowly feed her the pie.

Now they lay, side by side, Alena's head resting up against his shoulders while a pair of hands gently trace circles around her back.

"Does it still hurt?" She begins, hand gently rubbing the wound on his belly.

"Sometimes." he scratches the wound, hands brushing against the Jedi's.

"But mostly it itches cos of the bacta," he answers with a peck on her cheeks.

"Why are you nice to me?" her bright blues zeroing on his dusty browns.

"Why the sudden question?" He deflects.

"Why are you even here? I tried to kill you! Doesn't that even bother you?"

"Err, not really. You've already tried to kill me before, 7 years ago back. Besides, this is war so we were just doing our jobs. But if it makes you feel better, I forgive you Alena," She nuzzles against his chest with an adorable squeal, his heart soared at the sight, laughter eminating from him.

"7 years, wow."

"Yeah, I was 23 and you were, what 20?"

"Try 17."

"But..but I thought-"

"I lied, Teekay, I wanted to sound older."

His eyes furrow as though in deep thought before coming to a decision. "Doesn't matter. For a youngling you were a total badass then. Still are now," She looks away, hiding her blush.

"So when are you gonna get outta here?"

"Soon. So what're you gonna do after this?"

"Probably escort you out then head back to my cell. I've got till 1800 to report back. 45 minutes left to kill."

"Well, lets go!"

"Huh? go where?"

"Lets try to do something worthwhile for that 45 minutes you got left."

"But Alena-"

"Bouma-shite, on your feet trooper! Lets go do something fun!" She upped and bounded to the door but realized the Stormtrooper wasn't following.

"What's wrong?"

He simply shows her the shackles on his hands and feet. Oh, thats why.

With a flick of her wrist, the shackles ripped open and dropped to the ground. The pressure on his hands and feet abruptly lifted was a welcoming relief.

"C'mon lets go!" She giggles and twirls to the door.

"You trust me that much, Alena? Aren't you afraid I might try something funny? And what about the guards? In case you haven't noticed I'm in POW fatigues."

She slides over to him and gently tugs on his hand, "Of course I trust you and nah, I've taken you down twice now unless you wanna make it a third time." She winks while he rolls his eyes. "Besides, nobody's gonna lay a hand on you. You're directly under my jurisdiction as of right now. Enough yapping already Impy lets go!"

 **All I can say is...wow. I wasn't expecting to continue this storyline but after much consideration, I decided to. The next segment will be the final chapter and almost just as long as this one. Plus, there'll be a few...lemons included. So stay tuned!**


End file.
